Cam pin mechanism



Oct 9, 1951 c. G. UMSTED ET Ax.

CAM PIN MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Shea?,

Filed ,July 28, 1945 INVENTORS CRL E70/V G.

AT E D0/VIE L DEL Patented ct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFIcE CAM PIN MECHANISM Carleton G; Umsted, Northport, and Daniel De Luca, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to The Sperry Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application July 28, 1945, Serial No. 607,530

2 Claims. (Cl. 'i4-89) l y This invention relates to a cam pin mechanism of the kind used in computers for gun fire control.

An object of the invention is to provide a cam lift pin which will operate more efficiently and with less friction than former devices of the kind.

i Wear tends to develop nat spots in the ballshaped end of lift pins commonly used with three dimension cams causing considerable friction between the cam surface and the lift pin, especially when steep slopes on the cam are being traversed, and this results eventually in scoring of the cam surface and binding of the lift pin in its guides. In order to overcome these difliculties the present invention provides a campin having a novel ball point which actually rolls over the surface of the cam instead of sliding thereon.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a cam pin incorporating novel multiplying arrangement.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a cam pin having a novel mechanism for lifting the cam pin clear of the cam.

The invention in another of its aspects relates to novel features of the instrumentalities described herein for achieving the principal objects of the invention and to novel principles employed l in those instrumentalities, whether or not these features and principles are used for the said principal objects or in the said field.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus and instrumentalities embodying novel features and principles, adapted for use in realizing the above objects and also adapted for use in other fields.

Other features of the invention will appear in the following description given with the aid of the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 shows a cam pin and associated mechanism in elevation and partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken through 2-2 of Fig.. 1; i

Fig. 3 is a top planview of an assembly of cam pins partly in section, showing the mechanism by which a plurality of cam pins may be elevated and retained in elevated position clear of the cams topermit changing of the cams; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View, partly in section,

giving details of a rolling ball arrangement for the end of a cam pin.

L The cam pin and associated mechanism as shown in Fig. 1 are preferably supported in a subassembly frame which is attached to the main frame of a computing device for a gun director or' the like.

Relative movement of cam l0 and cam pin H causes the vertical movement of the latter in bearings l2 and I3 in subassembly frame I4.

The cam pin has an arm l5 pinned thereto provided with an opening through which a guide pin i8 extends. A spring Il disposed on the guide pin between arm I5 and the framework holds the end of the cam pin in contact with the cam. The upper end of the guide pin is supported i'or sliding movement in the frame while the lower end is threaded into a nut I8 which turns in bearing I9 in the frame. The nut is retained in the bearing by a shoulder formed thereon and by a. threaded ring 20 screwed on a threaded portion of the nut underneath bearing I9. A Worm wheel 2l on the upper part of the nut is in mesh with a helical gear 22, Fig. 4, on shaft 23. The shaft is arranged to be turned manually by means not shown, to elevate and lower the cam pin to permit changing of the cam. For this purpose, guide pin I6 has a collar 25 pinned thereto underneath arm l5 disposed normally out of contact with the arm. A screw 26 held by the frame I4 projects into a longitudinal slot 2l milled in the upper part of pin I6 to prevent the pin from turning. To elevate the lift pin, shaft 23 is turned to rotate nut I8 in such direction as to bring collar 25 into engagement with the underside of arm I5, when continued turning of the shaft will cause arm l5 to slide upwards on pin I6 to elevate the lift pin as desired against the pressure of spring Il.

Y Any suitable pick-oli may be operated by the campin mechanism thus far described. In the present embodiment of the invention, the cam pin is shown as actuating an output through a novel, simplified, multiplying arrangement.

Adjustably secured between nuts 30 and 3l disposed on a threaded portion of the cam pin is an arm 32 carrying a grooved guide wheel 313 riding on a track 34 fastened to the frame.

A block 35 formed with grooves 36 and 31, Fig. 2, is supported for transverse sliding movement by guides 38 and 39 secured across a central opening in arm 32, the guides entering the grooves 36 and 3l, respectively.

Referring to Fig. 2, block 35 carries a pin 40 on which turn rollers 4l and 42 on opposite sides of the block. Roller 42 is disposed between :arms 43 and 44 depending from a rack 45 in mesh with will parallel to the axis of the cam pin, and means normally out of contact with the arm actuated by the movement of the guide pin for engaging and moving the arm to disengage the cam pin from the surface of a cam.

2. A cam pin assembly comprising a cam pin, an arm attached thereto having an opening formed therein, a pin supported for movement in translation but restrained from rotation extending through the opening, a compression spring disposed on the latter pin adapted to engage one side of the arm and hold the cam pin against a cam surface, a threaded portion formed near one end of the last-mentioned pin, a collar secured to the pin on the opposite side of the arm normally out of contact with the arm, a gear provided with internal threads disposed on the threaded portion of the pin, a manually operated shaft for turning the gear to eiect translation of the pin for the purpose of bringing the collar into engagement with the arm and moving the arm to disengage the cam pin from the cam surface.

cARLE'roN G. UMsTED. DANIEL DE LUCA..

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 299,113 Clark May 27, 1884 631,495 l Adams Aug. 22, 1899 1,061,700 Steinbecker May 13, 1913 1,272,018 Dietze July 9, 1918 1,336,447 Suia Apr. 13, 1920 1,473,711 Sherbandy Nov. 13, 1923 1,543,438 Hutt June 23, 1925 1,753,020 Pielstick Apr. 1, 1930 1,930,297 Welch Oct. 10, 1933 2,119,399 Muschang May 31, 1938 2,151,832 Bugatti -2 Mar. 28, 1939 2,240,126 Wall Apr. 29, 1941 2,322,340 Bechler June 22, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 454,182 Germany Dec. 31, 1927 816,783 France Aug. 17, 1937 

